Book Review: Growing Pains by Sarah Taylor-Malo

Growing Pains by Sarah Taylor-Malo is a book that many will be able to relate to.  Even if a person is fortunate to have grown up in a stable home with supportive parents, they’re not immune to the anxiety caused by the current world we live in.  So much is uncertain, and the recent pandemic only heightened things.

A passage that spoke to me: “We are all afraid sometimes. We can let in messages that don’t do any good. But those messages can’t be the driving force behind your decisions as you move through life. Removing all the noise to let in the quiet is how you start to find yourself in such a loud and intimidating world.”  Yes!  Whether the messages are from your own inner voice, the people in our lives, or just societal expectations, finding quiet is essential. Putting away the screens.  Getting out in nature. Meditating.  Creating art. We all need to find ways to let in the quiet.

Another couple of great quotes that really rang true with the world we’re living in today:

“Look at my parents’ generation—they had job opportunities that don’t exist anymore, and their wages were more appropriately aligned with the prices of homes, cars, and everyday needs.  It doesn’t mean that things weren’t as scary and difficult for them as young people, but we’re not on the same playing field anymore.” 

“The world continues to change, so why make choices based on stagnant assumptions of success?” I struggle with this a lot, and I like the way this made me think differently about some of my choices. 

Growing Pains was well-written, and while the Taylor-Malo is only in her 30s, her experiences and struggles in life and love so far have given her some great insight into some of the common ‘growing pains’ we go through as humans.  I found it to be a quick, easy read, and my only wish is that she would’ve delved into some of her experiences in slightly more detail and fleshed the book out a bit.

  

I enjoyed this Canadian debut and hope to read more from this author! 

Thank you to Sarah Taylor-Malo for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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